Last



Nov, 28, 1939. .1. FITZPATRICK LAST Filed Dec. 5, 1938 mvsmo M.

' operation of Patented Nov. 28, 1939 rrsoj STATES PATENT cert-cs v LAST Jeremiah Fitzpatrick, 'Weymouth, Mass.

Application December 5, '1938,

Claims.

the shoe. This fault, however, arises not from the operation of the machine itself, but primarily through the fault in the last, together with fault in the cut of the upper applied to the last and on which the machine operates.

In arriving at any improvement in the forma tion of a shoe the line of travel shouldfirstbe taken into consideration. Natures line, of travel is a straight line through the centre of the foot. The last must be so formed that such line of travel will prevail; and not one which urges the wearer or the shoe to toe in, or out. There is thus obtained a proper thrust in walking, with inclination to walk as nature would have one walk. When the shoe is put on the bearing of the shoe upper against the footshould be such as to preserve this line of travel. The upper should embrace the foot lightly all around with no undue pressure at any point, especially at the inside ball portion of the foot-and at the outside toe line,

especially where the little toe has bearing.

The cone portion of the last plays an important point in preserving the line of travel for a shoe made from the last, and of preventing undue pressure by the shoe on the foot at any point.

The shoe upper should conform to the cone of thelast so as to embrace it in the manner of a glove, but if the cone ismisplaced cone of the shoe made from the last will tend to turn the shoe out of a proper line of travel, and bring undue pressure on some part orparts of the foot even though the form of the last, and shoe made from it, below the cone is a proper one. If the. set or" the cone on-the last is an improper one the pull on'theleather during the lasting will tend to deform the shoe. This results in quarter unevenness and the shoe will not lace properly. The tongue will oftentimes displace to one side as the shoe is worn, and the leather will not lie smooth adjacent the throat line of the shoe.

It'is accordingly the object of the invention to make a last which will result in the proper formation of a shoe in which the advantages above referred to will be obtained, and the disadvantages overcome.

While the proper formation of a shoe resides primarily in the formation of the last from which the shoe is made, yet if all'benefits are to be obthe lasting machinetends to deform I In other Words,

waist portion,

on the last the laced -.thep1ane a. The plane planes lying at the apex ill of the cone.

Serial No. 243,941

tained to the best advantage, not only the last but the upper itself should be correctly cut. The upper as now customarily cut is upon a central line between the centre of the heel and the point occupied by the centre of the big toe as the shoe is worn although both inside and outside upper patterns are cut alike with relation to a central plane. the upper is cut substantially around the central plane of the cone which plane extends through the big toe.

placement of the quarter which affects the proper fit of the shoe.

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawing, in which the figure is a plan of a last embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

l representsthe last of which 2 represents the the last, 3 the instep portion, 4 the 5 the ball portion, 6 the toe portion the tip end portion 1 of which varies with variation in style, 8 the cone, and 9 the throat line. j All portions of the last for both rights and lefts between the heel and toe portions thereof including these portions, but not including the extreme heel portion of toe portion, are so disposed as to laterally extend on either side an equal distance from a central. vertical plane a passing longitudinally through the centre 'oi the last, and which plane coincides with the line of travel to be imparted to shoes made from the last.

b'represents a central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the centre of the cone portion ofthe last, the apex ill of whichlies within b-has angular relationship to the plane a, the meeting point of the two Theoretically at least, the angularity of the plane bf should be such that this plane would pass through that portion of the last which forms that part of the shoe in which lies the big toe of the wearer for the line of the cone portion of a normal foot is in When the upper is "10 applied by the operation of the lasting machine the pull of the lasting machine at the toe portion of the last is a pull at the centre of the the big toe, or, in other when measured along lines with the mean lines of pull on this direction. If, however, the angularity between the planes a and b be too great then shoes made from the last will not be properly formed due to an unequal and distortive pull upon the leather of the upper during the lasting operation for, as previously explained, the pull of the lasting machine at the toe portion of the last is a pull at the centre of the shoe in the line of travel which lies within the plane a.

The extent of angularity which can be given the plane I) with relation to the plane a will depend to a certain extent upon the precise form and disposition given the cone for the angularity of the plane b with relation to the plane a and the form of the cone itself should be such that the distance from a point i at the back of the.

heel lying within the plane a and passing direct to the point i lying within the plane a at the extremity of the toe of the last will be the same which correspond the leather during the lasting, as for example, a and b as shown in the drawing, and contacting, respectively, with said cone on either side thereof. In practice the best results are obtained if the angularity of the plane b with relation to the plane a, as the cone is usually made, be about 1 although this will depend upon the precise formation of the cone.

.While the best results are obtained where the central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the last is one which lies laterally at either side an equal distance from the sides of the last between the heel and toe portions thereof including said portions, but not including the extreme toeportions, yet improved results are obtained in any last, however formed, if a central vertical plane passing through the cone portion of the last will extend at such angularity with relation to a central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the body of the last that the same distances will separate points in the central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the body centre of the last located, re-

spectively, at the back of the heel and extremity of the toe of said last when measured along lines which correspond with the mean line of pull on the leather during the lasting, and contacting, respectively, with the cone on either side thereof.

I claim:

1. A last in which the portions of the last between the heel and toe portions thereof, including said portions but not including the extreme toe portions of the last, are disposed to laterally extend at' either side an equal distance from a certain central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the centre of the last, and in which the cone portion of the last is so formed and arranged that a central vertical plane passing longitudinally therethrough will extend at an angle with relation to said first mentioned plane, and the same distance will separate points in said first mentioned plane located, respectively, at the back of the heel and extremity of the toe of the last when measured along lines which correspond with the mean lines of pull on the leather during the lasting and contacting, respectively, withthe cone on either side thereof.

2. A last in which the portions of the last between the heel and toe portions thereof, including said portions but not including the extreme toe portion of the last are disposed to extend laterally at either side an equal distance from a certain central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the centre of the last, and in which the cone portion of the last is so formed and arranged that the apex thereof will lie within said plane, and a central vertical plane passing longitudinally therethrough will meet said first mentioned plane at the point of said apex and extend at an angle with relation to said first mentioned plane,

.and the same distance will separate points in said first mentioned plane located, respectively, at the back of the heel and extremity of the toe of the last when measured along lines which correspond with the mean lines of pull on the leather during the lasting and contacting, respectively, with the cone on either side thereof.

3. A last in which the portions of the last between the heel and toe portions thereof, including said portions but not including the extreme toe portion of the last, are disposed to extend laterallyat either side an equal distance from a certain central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the centre of the last, and in which the cone portion of the last is so formed and arranged that the apex thereof will lie within said plane, and a central vertical plane pass ing longitudinally therethrough will meet said first mentioned plane at the point of said apex and extend at an angle of substantially 1 to said first mentioned plane, and substantially the same distance will separate points in said first mentioned plane located, respectively, at the back of the heel and extremity of the toe of the last when measured along lines which correspond with the mean lines of pull on the leather during the lasting and contacting, respectively, with the cone on either side thereof.

4. A last in which the cone portion of the last is so formed and arranged that a central vertical plane passing longitudinally through it will extend at an angle with relation to a central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the centre of the last, and the same distance will separate points in said central vertical plane 10- cated, respectively, at the back of the heel and extremity of the toe of the last when measured along lines which correspond with the mean line of pull on the leather during the lasting and contacting, respectively, with the cone on either side thereof.-

5. A last in which the cone portion of the last is so formed and arranged that a central vertical plane passing longitudinally through it will extend at an angle of substantially 1 with relation to a central vertical plane passing longitudinally through the centre of the last, and substantially the same distance will separate points in said central vertical plane located, respectively, at the back of the heel and extremity of the toe of the last when measured along lines which correspond with the mean line of pull on the leather during the lasting and contacting, respectively, with the cone on either side thereof.

JEREMIAH FITZPATRICK. 

